Move Over, Mayo: These 20 Aioli Recipes Meet All Your Dipping Needs

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Look, we love ketchup, mayo, mustard, and all your other favorite condiments. By no means are we suggesting that mayo doesn’t have a place in BLTs and potato salad recipes. But if you haven’t tried aioli — a dipping sauce that has Mediterranean origins and is super popular throughout Southern Europe and Oceania — you’re seriously missing out. Aioli is traditionally made with garlic, olive oil, and sometimes eggs (the combination of which is, of course, mayonnaise), but modern iterations also throw in lemon juice, garlic, and a whole plethora of other delicious herbs and spices. Here are 20 of our favorite aioli recipes, but be warned: Once you dip your French fries in aioli, you’ll never go back.

1. Super Easy Garlic Aioli: Let’s start off with the most mainstream, common version of aioli you’re likely to find. This easy-to-make recipe contains only five ingredients: mayo, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Like all aioli creations, this sauce is perfect for adding to sandwiches and burgers, and will also take your fries to a *whole* new level. (via Cooking With Curls)

2. Cilantro Lime Aioli: This aioli recipe would be DELISH on a quesadilla or other Mexican-inspired meal. The flavors of cilantro and lime pair with all kinds of flavorful (and spicy) foods. (via Goodie Godmother)

3. Rosemary Aioli: Paired here with meatballs, rosemary aioli is a bit more herbaceous. The flavors of rosemary will go well with meats. We also recommend serving this sauce on the sandwich portion of a hearty soup-and-sammie meal. (via The Iron You)

4. Roasted Garlic Aioli: Here’s another crowd-pleasing garlic aioli recipe for you. Pro tip: Roast the garlic by cutting it in half, placing the middle side down on a piece of foil, drizzling with olive oil, and roasting for about 30 minutes. You’ll unlock a super-rich flavor that you just can’t get with raw garlic. (via The Suburban Soapbox)

5. Roasted Red Pepper Aioli: Looking for something a little tangier? This roasted red pepper aioli will definitely do the trick. It combines the flavors of traditional aioli and red peppers with mustard, lemon juice, and sun-dried tomatoes for a condiment with kick. (via The Wimpy Vegetarian)

6. 5-Ingredient Chipotle Aioli: This baby is SPICY. And it also happens to be totally vegan. The “mayo” is made from soaked and blended cashews, while the flavor itself comes from fresh chipotle peppers. (via Minimalist Baker)

7. Smoked Paprika Aioli: Here’s a pro tip: When shopping for paprika, go for a spice labeled “smoked paprika” or “sweet paprika.” Plain-old paprika tends to be a lot less flavorful. In the case of THIS recipe, though, you’ll combine smoked paprika with a bit of cumin to achieve a rich, spicy flavor. (via Fountain Avenue Kitchen)

9. Lemon-Dill Aioli Sauce: Not so much into the peppery, spicy sauces? Keep things light and fresh with this lemon and dill-flavored creation. Pro tip: Be sure to bring your egg yolks to room temperature, or you may have some trouble getting them to mix with the rest of the sauce. (via Savor the Best)

10. The Best Vegan Aioli: Here’s another one for the plant-based eaters out there. The secret ingredient in this recipe is aquafaba… that is, chickpea water. You can store this mixture for up to seven days in a covered container, so it’s great for making ahead and taking to work. (via Lauren Caris Cooks)

11. Chimichurri Aioli: Chimichurri is often slathered on meats, and this aioli is just as, if not more, versatile. It shares a number of ingredients with traditional chimichurri sauce — a few of the stand-out ones are cilantro, onion, lime juice, and jalapeño. (via The Faux Martha)

12. Easy Lemon Aioli: When we say this recipe is easy, that’s *kind of* an understatement. There are literally two steps: Whisk everything together, then allow it to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. It’s THAT simple. (via Homemade Interest)

13. Truffle Aioli: You can get the rich, uber delicious flavor of truffles at a much lower price simply by mixing truffle oil right into this three-ingredient aioli. A little primer on truffle oil: It’s a bit controversial within the foodie world, as it isn’t always made with authentic truffles. But for our purposes, it works fabulously in this aioli. (via Lexi’s Clean Kitchen)

15. Avocado Garlic Aioli: All those classic garlic aioli recipes we’ve shared above are fabulous, but adding some avocado can be a *TOTAL* game-changer. With this recipe, you’ll whip some fresh avo right into the mixture, adding creamy texture and amazing flavor. (via Cafe Delites)

16. Lemon Parsley Aioli: This lemon-parsley combo is decidedly British-inspired and perfect for dipping. It showcases the flavors of mayo, parsley, lemon, Dijon mustard, and garlic. Bonus points for serving it with fried blue cheese, as shown here. (via Dad With a Pan)

17. Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Aioli: If you’re interested in a red pepper flavor but want to steer clear of animal products (or dairy in general), try this vegan version. You’ll sub in cashews (processed with water, of course) for mayo, keeping it dairy-free and super healthy. (via Veggie and the Beast)

18. Basil Garlic Aioli: If you’re a big pesto fan, you’ll ADORE this basil-garlic sauce. In addition to being a perfect addition to French fries, it would also go great on any kind of Italian-inspired sammie, such as an eggplant Parm or meatball sub. (via Self Proclaimed Foodie)

19. Roasted Garlic Chipotle Aioli: See those eggs in the background? That’s because this has you making mayo FROM SCRATCH. It doesn’t get much more wholesome than that. You’ll bring the eggs to room temperature before processing them with additional yolks, lemon juice, and garlic, and adding olive oil toward the end of the process. (via Ruled.Me)

20. Garlic Aioli: We thought we’d round off our list with another classic iteration of aioli. This garlic-infused version is perfect for all your aioli needs, but we ESPECIALLY love it with French fries and a glass of white wine. Cheers! (via Tasty Kitchen)

Maggie McCracken is a freelance writer, blogger and aspiring digital nomad. She writes primarily about food, travel, yoga and healthy living, and she has a background in health and science journalism. You can read more of her work on her lifestyle and travel blog, The Olive Branch.